Paul’s Defense of His Ministry
1By the humility and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am “timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” toward you when away! 2I beg you that when I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who think that we live by the standards of this world. 3For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
7You are judging by appearances.10:7 Or Look at the obvious facts If anyone is confident that they belong to Christ, they should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much as they do. 8So even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us for building you up rather than tearing you down, I will not be ashamed of it. 9I do not want to seem to be trying to frighten you with my letters. 10For some say, “His letters are weighty and forceful, but in person he is unimpressive and his speaking amounts to nothing.” 11Such people should realize that what we are in our letters when we are absent, we will be in our actions when we are present.
12We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise. 13We, however, will not boast beyond proper limits, but will confine our boasting to the sphere of service God himself has assigned to us, a sphere that also includes you. 14We are not going too far in our boasting, as would be the case if we had not come to you, for we did get as far as you with the gospel of Christ. 15Neither do we go beyond our limits by boasting of work done by others. Our hope is that, as your faith continues to grow, our sphere of activity among you will greatly expand, 16so that we can preach the gospel in the regions beyond you. For we do not want to boast about work already done in someone else’s territory. 17But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”10:17 Jer. 9:24 18For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
Paulo Atetea Huduma Yake
110:1 Mt 11:29; Gal 5:2; Efe 3:1Basi, mimi Paulo ninawasihi kwa unyenyekevu na upole wa Kristo, mimi niliye “mwoga” ninapokuwa pamoja nanyi ana kwa ana, lakini mwenye ujasiri nikiwa mbali nanyi! 210:2 1Kor 4:21; Rum 12:2Nawaomba nitakapokuja kwenu nisiwe na ujasiri dhidi ya watu fulani, kama ninavyotazamia kwa wale wanaodhani kwamba tunaishi kwa kufuata namna ya ulimwengu huu. 310:3 2Kor 10:2Ingawa tunaishi duniani, hatupigani vita kama ulimwengu ufanyavyo. 410:4 2Kor 6:7; Yer 1:10; 2Kor 13:10Silaha za vita vyetu si za mwili, bali zina uwezo katika Mungu hata kuangusha ngome, 510:5 Isa 2:10-12; 1Kor 1:19; 2Kor 9:13tukiangusha mawazo na kila kitu kilichoinuka, kijiinuacho juu ya elimu ya Mungu, na tukiteka nyara kila fikira ipate kumtii Kristo, 610:6 2Kor 6:9; 7:15tena tukiwa tayari kuadhibu kila tendo la kutotii, kutii kwenu kutakapokamilika.
710:7 Yn 7:24; 2Kor 5:12; 1Kor 1:12; 3:23; 14:37; 2Kor 11:23Angalieni yale yaliyo machoni penu. Kama mtu yeyote anaamini kuwa yeye ni mali ya Kristo, basi kumbuka kuwa kama ulivyo wa Kristo, vivyo hivyo na sisi ndivyo tulivyo. 810:8 Yer 1:10; 2Kor 13:10Basi hata kama nikijisifu zaidi kidogo kuhusu mamlaka tuliyo nayo, ambayo Bwana alitupa ili kuwajenga wala si kuwabomoa, mimi sitaionea haya. 910:9 1Kor 2:3; Gal 4:13-14; 1Kor 1:17; 2Kor 11:6Sitaki nionekane kama ninayejaribu kuwatisha kwa nyaraka zangu. 1010:10 1Kor 2:3; Gal 4:13-14; 1Kor 1:17; 2Kor 11:6Kwa maana wanasema, “Nyaraka zake ni nzito na zenye nguvu, lakini ana kwa ana ni dhaifu na kuzungumza kwake ni kwa kudharauliwa.” 1110:11 2Kor 13:2, 10Watu kama hao wajue ya kuwa, yale tusemayo kwa barua tukiwa hatupo pamoja nanyi, ndivyo tulivyo na ndivyo tutakavyofanya tutakapokuwa pamoja nanyi.
1210:12 2Kor 3:1Hatuthubutu kujiweka kwenye kundi moja au kujilinganisha na hao wanaojitukuza wenyewe kuwa wao ni wa maana sana. Wanapojipima na kujilinganisha wenyewe kwa wenyewe, wanaonyesha ya kuwa hawana busara. 1310:13 Rum 12:3Lakini sisi hatujajivuna kupita kiasi, bali majivuno yetu yatakuwa katika mipaka ile Mungu aliyotuwekea, mipaka ambayo inawafikia hata ninyi. 1410:14 1Kor 3:6; 2Kor 2:12Kwa maana hatukuwa tunavuka mipaka katika kujisifu kwetu, kama vile ambavyo ingekuwa kama hatukuwa tumekuja kwenu. Kwa maana sisi ndio tuliokuwa wa kwanza kuja kwenu na Injili ya Kristo. 1510:15 Rum 15:20; 2The 1:3Wala hatuvuki mipaka kwa kujisifu kwetu kwa ajili ya kazi iliyofanywa na watu wengine. Tumaini letu ni kwamba imani yenu inavyozidi kukua, eneo letu la utendaji miongoni mwenu litapanuka zaidi, 1610:16 Rum 1:1; 2Kor 2:12; Mdo 19:21ili tuweze kuhubiri Injili sehemu zilizo mbali na maeneo yenu. Kwa maana hatutaki kujisifu kwa ajili ya kazi ambayo imekwisha kufanyika tayari katika eneo la mtu mwingine. 1710:17 Yer 9:24; Za 34:2; 44:8; 1Kor 1:31Lakini, “Yeye ajisifuye na ajisifu katika Bwana.” 1810:18 Rum 2:29Kwa maana si yeye ajisifuye mwenyewe akubaliwaye, bali yeye ambaye Bwana humsifu.
